Wenger confessed for the first time it would have been “difficult” for him to carry on at the Emirates if Arsenal had lost the 2014 final to Hull City.

Gunners boss Wenger was under massive pressure at the time as they had not won any silverware since 2005 and his future was uncertain.

Arsenal had to survive a massive scare to fight back from two goals down to lift the trophy and Wenger signed a new three year contract a few weeks later.

(Image: PA)

(Image: PA)

(Image: Action Images)

Wenger, who faces Hull in the FA Cup for the third year running, said: “If we had lost it, I don’t know. Honestly, I don’t know.

"Usually I respect my contracts and I fight for everything. I think as well to say to you that 17 years at a club depend on one cup final… so it’s better you don’t go to the final then. You don’t have that problem.

“But it would have been a problem had we not won, because it would have been a massive disappointment for everybody.

"It would have been difficult. But we won.

“No disrespect to them, but the size of our opponent would have made it worse. If you go to a final against Man United, people think you can win or lose. If you go to a final against Hull, everybody expects you to win and the disappointment would have been bigger.

“I never forget the decisive moments in the game - Kieran Gibbs cleared off the line at 2-0 down. You could say the same for Santi Cazorla to score the free-kick to make it 2-1.

“I’m committed to this club and I think I’ve shown that. One day I will show you all the proposals that I turned down to stay here.

“That means on my side it was always very clear. I am committed to do well. If I don’t do well enough I hope the club will tell me. People are very demanding. But when you look at our consistency, we are the only club who, for such a long time, has always been at the top.

“It looks easy when it happens, but you will see one day it is not as easy as it looks to keep that ­consistency going over the years. It’s very difficult. It demands commitment and hard work.”

Wenger has an unlikely but good friendship with Hull boss Steve Bruce, founded on recommending Wilson Palacios to him at Wigan, as well as loaning players Nicklas Bendtner, Fabrice Muamba and Seb Larsson.

He added: “He is a fantastic football man who has great consistency as a player and manager. He is in the game for a long, long time.